Catalyst (The Best Days #1) (9 page)

“Ouch!”  Rebecca grunted as she landed hard on the thickly carpeted floor.  “You bitch!”  Before Rory could ask if she was hurt, Rebecca climbed to her feet and retreated to her bedroom.  “I wish I didn’t have a sister!” Rory heard Rebecca shout from down the hall.  R

R
ory slammed her bedroom door shut and slid to the floor, shaking uncontrollably.  She’d found the proof she was after, confirming that Rebecca was deliberately trying to interfere with her social life.  But she didn’t feel the huge sense of relief she’d been expecting.  Instead, she only felt a profound sense of loss.

On Friday morning, Rebecca stayed home sick.

Her cold had hit her hard and Nancy had insisted she stay home to rest.  It was an odd dynamic.  Normally one would expect the teenager to beg to skip s
chool but not Rebecca.  Her history class was going on a field trip to a museum that day and she wasn’t impressed about missing out on it.  But she was also in no condition to put up much of an argument. 

She trudged down to the kitchen wrapped in a blanket, her hair dishevelled and her face pale.  She ate some porridge and then returned to bed.  Rory
saw all this from the living room, where she sat on the couch and deliberately avoided making eye contact.  Normally at this time of morning Rory would still be sleeping after hitting the snooze button on her alarm clock three times in a row, but last night insomnia had set in hard.

When Sheck found her leaning against his car, he couldn’t hide his surprise.  “You’re on time,” he pointed out.  “Actually, you’re early.”  He leaned in closer for a better look.  “Who are you?  What have you done with the real Rory?”

“Ha-ha, very funny,” she rolled her eyes.

“What’s going on?” he asked as they got into the station wagon. 

“Just drive.”

“Yes ma’am,” Sheck replied with his signature good-natured sarcasm.  “Would you like to sit in the backseat so I can chauffeur you properly?” 

Rory didn’t answer.  As Sheck rounded the corner her attention was on the young man walking down the street.  She’d recognize that letterman jacket anywhere.  “Can you pull over up here?” Rory asked Sheck.  “I think I’ll walk the rest of the way.”

“Ah yes, say hello to Mr. Perfect for me,” Sheck
teased.

Once Rory was standing on the sidewalk behind Carson, she suddenly felt unsure of herself.  What would she say?  She glanced nervously at Sheck’s station wagon as he drove off down the street – notably, in the opposite direction of the high school.  She took a deep breath and tried to think of something clever and witty to call out.

“Rory?”

Carson had glanced over his shoulder and noticed her.  Immediately, she began to fuss with her hair, hoping the light breeze hadn’t mussed it up too much.  She forced a smile as he turned around and jogged toward her.

“Hi.”  So it wasn’t the brilliant opener she’d been hoping for.  Oh well.  It still worked.

“Hi.”  His eyes twinkled as they lingered on hers.  “I didn’t know you walked to school.  I thought you always got a ride with Sheck.”

“Not today,” Rory said and then immediately scolded herself for stating the obvious.  “What about you?” she asked a bit too quickly.  “I thought you always drive that cool little sports car…”

“Usually,” he nodded.  “But it’s in the shop right now – I hit a pothole and bent a rim on my way home from football practice last night.  So here I am, walking.  At least it’s a nice day…good weather for the party tonight, too.  I hear some of the guys are planning a bonfire.”

“Oh, cool.  So you’re still planning to go to the party, right?” Rory asked eagerly. 

“I guess,” he replied with less
interest than she would have liked.  “Are you?”

“Yeah, I’ll be there.”

Carson shot her a smile that temporarily made her forget her bad mood.  “If you’re going to be there,” he said, sounding more enthused, “then I wouldn’t miss it.”

* * * * *

Sneaking out of the house was easier than Rory thought.  It appeared Nancy was having separation anxiety as she hadn’t seen Justin in a few weeks.  Although the girls wouldn’t be joining her due to Rebecca being sick and Rory being grounded, Nancy still drove into the city to take her “baby boy” out to dinner and a movie. 

She even managed to convince Tom to pull himself away from work and
accompany her.

With both her parents gone to visit her brother, Rory was able to simply walk out the front door. 
It was a good thing, too, because she had no idea how Sheck managed to climb that tree outside her window every time he wanted to drop in for a late night visit.  There was no way Rory would be able to do it – and certainly not when she was all prettied up!

She dressed with care, wearing tight jeans that showed off her butt and a black top that was sexy without being slutty.  Her makeup was meticulous and her hair was carefully styled.  If there was ever a time to get Carson’s attention, this was it.

Eagerly, Rory dashed downstairs and prepared to make her departure.  Grounding: 0, Rory: 1.

“Whad dime is id?” Rebecca said hoarsely, her nose still stuffed up.  She was on the couch reading a book, a cup of hot tea beside her. 
She was still clad in pajama pants and a bulky sweatshirt, her unwashed hair pulled back in a messy ponytail.

“It’s almost 7,” Rory replied, pausing to assess her sister’s
condition.  Rebecca still looked tired, but the color seemed to be returning to her face.  Her eyes also seemed more alert, as though she was emerging from the mental fog that bad colds so often seemed to produce.  “How are you feeling?” she asked, feeling a twinge of compassion for her sister in spite of their falling out. 

“A liddle bedder,” Rebecca said before
having a sneezing fit. 

“Good.”  Rory hesitated.  “Do you need anything?  Want me to make you some more tea?”

“No, I’m good…thanks though.  Have fun ad the pardy.  Ad don’t worry, I’m not going to rat you oud to Mom and Dad.”

Rory grinned.  “
Thanks.  Feel better!”  With that, she hurried out the door and ran three houses down to the Jackson residence. 

She still couldn’t believe Clive didn’t live there anymore. 
The rose bushes he’d planted were still there.  The basketball hoop he’d installed above the driveway for Sheck was still there.  But he wasn’t.  It didn’t seem right.

“Hey,” Rory said when Sheck answered the door.  “You ready for the party?”

Sheck hesitated.  “I’ve been thinking,” he said, “and I’ve decided I should go see my dad after all.  We’re gonna check out the pool at his hotel tonight.”

“Um…” Rory gave
the walking cast on Sheck’s foot a questioning glance.

“Yeah, Dad doesn’t know about the foot yet,” Sheck admitted.  “So by ‘check out’ the pool I guess I mean we’ll just go stare at it and then…I dunno. 
But I can give you a lift to the party first if you want,” he quickly offered.  “I think that Grace girl’s house is on the way to the hotel.”

Rory was a little disappointed Sheck wouldn’t be at the party, but she tried to be supportive.  After all, family was important, and
she knew how much Sheck had always looked up to his dad as a kid.  She hated the thought of them being on the outs now. 

“I’m sure he’s excited to see you,” she told him. 

The fairytale marriage might be over, and that was heartbreaking.  But maybe, Rory reasoned, there was still a “happily ever after” hiding in there somewhere.

* * * * *

Sheck seemed to drag his feet a little.  First he had to go inside to change his clothes.  Then he had to search his messy bedroom for his wallet.  As they were finally leaving, he decided to grab his cell phone charger as his battery was low. 

Rory could tell he was stalling.  He must have been nervous about seeing his dad, which was weird considering what a close relationship he and Clive had always had.

She was anxious to get to the party, but she tried to be patient.  She knew Sheck was going through something she couldn’t even begin to understand, so she didn’t push.  He needed to do things on his own terms.

By the time they finally pulled up in front of
Grace’s house, the party was already in full swing.  Rory could hear music blasting from the house and could see a bunch of people through the living room window.  She could hear them, too.  It was clear they’d already been into the booze.

“It looks like a nice place,” Sheck commented as the two of them peered out at the large Victorian two storey home in front of them.  It had a carefully manicured front yard with little white lights lining the pathway up to the front door.  The owners clearly took pride in the impressive home.

“Yeah, it does.”

“Have fun,” Sheck said, giving Rory a little wave.  He looked cool, calm and collected slouched down behind the wheel of his car, but he couldn’t fool Rory.  She could see he was grippi
ng the steering wheel much harder than necessary.  He was nervous.

“You too,” she replied.  She started to get out and then paused, turning to look at Sheck.  “He’s your dad,” she said softly, trying to think of something to say to put her best friend at ease.  “That hasn’t changed.”

Sheck nodded tensely but said nothing, his jaw clenched.  “Do you have a way home?”

“No, but I’ll figure something out,” she said as she got out of the car.  “Unless,” she said, poking her head back inside and smiling brilliantly, “you feel like stopping by after you see your dad?”

He shook his head.  “I don’t think so, Ror.  I wouldn’t come inside if I came back to get you…I’d just wait down the street or something.  I’m just not in the mood for the usual high school bullshit.”

“Alright,” Rory agreed
, disappointed but nonetheless eager to get inside and see if Carson was there yet.  “In that case, don’t worry about coming back for me.  I’ll find my own way home.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’ll be fine,” she said firmly.  The last thing Sheck needed to be concerned with was her.  He had enough going on in his own life at the moment.  And besides, if all went well, maybe Rory would be able to get Carson to give her a ride home…  “You’re not my personal chauffeur, you know.”

“Could have fooled me,” he quipped.

“Roooooory!” Jeremy bellowed as he came stumbling out of the house at high speed, nearly crashing into her.  “Come on in and get your drink on!”  He belched loudly, unzipped the fly of his jeans and began urinating right there against the side of the house.

Rory wrinkled her nose in disgust and went inside
as Sheck sped off into the night.  Jeremy was such a boorish, classless waste of space.  She wondered if he’d even noticed that very few people found his over the top and often offensive behavior funny or if he was genuinely too dumb to catch on.   

Once inside, Rory had to pause just to take everything in.  The interior was decorated tastefully in neutral tones of cream and beige.  It was a beautiful home…or at least it had been before the loud, rowdy pack of high school kids had descended upon it.  They didn’t seem to have much regard for anything except having a good time.

Hilary was clearly the party hostess.  Even though it was Grace’s house, Hilary was obviously the star of the party.  She wore a tiny sequined tube top, a black miniskirt and about twelve pounds of makeup.  Grace stood off to the side shyly looking on as Hilary handed out drinks, dictated the music playlist and flirted wildly with several guys at once.

“Hi!” Rory shouted over the music.

“I can’t hear you!” Hilary yelled back, shaking her head for emphasis.  “Here, have a drink!”  She shoved a red paper cup into Rory’s hand before she grabbed the nearest guy and started grinding sensuously against him in time to the music. 

Unfortunately, the nearest guy happened to be Carson Keller.

Rory wasn’t sure he’d even seen her standing there; his back had been turned and he’d been talking to some of his buddies before Hilary had sunk her claws into him.  Rory wanted to be shocked but she really wasn’t.  For Hilary to put the moves on Carson when she knew damn well that Rory was completely infatuated with him was typical. 

Relief flooded through Rory when Carson took the first available opportunity to politely disentangle himself from
Hilary’s clutches.  He wasn’t interested in her!  It was good news on multiple levels. 

Taking a step forward, Rory prepared to tap Carson on the shoulder and say hello.  A few football players barged in front of her laughing and shouting drunkenly.  By the time they’d rowdily stumbled through the French doors off the dining room, Carson had disappeared.

She scanned the room.  She didn’t see Carson but she did see Grace.  She was still standing off by herself, looking around her parents’ once-beautiful home with an unreadable expression on her face.  Rory smiled and waved. 

Grace
gave her a tiny smile and raised her hand in response.  Then a loud crash outside caused her to whirl around and peer out the window anxiously.  The mousey girl’s eyes widened at what she saw and she frantically ran out the back door.

Curious, Rory followed Grace. 

In the backyard were a bunch of guys standing around a fire pit.  Some of them looked mildly concerned while others just appeared to be incredibly drunk.  The fire was out of control.  It appeared someone had thrown a lawnmower into the pit and the gasoline had ignited.  Flames shot out with startling intensity, lighting the lawn on fire.

“Oh my God!” Grace cried, her dismay evident.  “Someone do something!”  There was an expression of horror on her face as she surveyed the scene.  Then she fumbled in her jeans pocket and pulled out her phone.

“Whoa!” Jeremy hollered, stumbling over to her.  “Whoa…what are you doing?”